Seat available on New Fairfield Board of Ed

NEW FAIRFIELD — The Board of Education will search for a new member in the coming weeks to fill a vacancy left by Doug DeRito, who resigned earlier this month.

DeRito said he decided, after considering it for a few months, that it was time to leave the board and “allow another resident to step in.”

He said he felt it was the right time, in part, because he is confident the board and the district’s new superintendent will continue moving in a positive direction, DeRito said. The school board had faced political discord in the past, but has since improved, he said.

“I remember when I joined, it was pretty chaotic,” he said. “I hope that I helped migrate through those changes and now we’re seeing the results of my and my fellow board members’ reaction to the community in a positive way. I have left the board with very high hopes (for) the district.”

The district had struggled with public outcry against former Superintendent Alicia Roy, who stepped down in June, and the board for a few years. Last year, the school board’s chairman and vice-chair resigned, both citing political problems, and there was a turnover of the majority of its members in the November elections.

DeRito said he has seen improvement in three areas that prompted him to first join the board, including test scores, community concerns and budget transparency.

In his resignation letter, he thanked his fellow board members, the administration and staff.

“I will cherish my time as a board member and know the district is in good hands to achieve continuous success,” he said. “Thank you to all who have been a mentor or supporter of my personal efforts. It has been a wonderful experience for me personally and thank everyone for their support.”

Interested candidates should submit a letter of interest to the board and the appropriate town committee by noon on Sept. 28, the board said in a release. Candidates will then be required to attend the Oct. 4 meeting to express their interest in person and answer questions.